Paolo Azzola

FinTech Founder & Builder | Emerging Markets

Paolo Azzola is a prominent figure in the FinTech industry, known for his significant contributions to digital payments and financial inclusion, particularly in the Philippines and other emerging markets.

Background and Education

Azzola studied International Relations at the London School of Economics (LSE).2
He has a diverse professional background, having worked at JP Morgan Chase, where he structured derivatives and shuttled between London and New York.2

Career Highlights

Before joining PayMaya, Azzola was involved with Rocket Internet AG in London, where he managed relationships between PLDT and Rocket Internet on a joint venture that eventually became PayMaya, a digital payment solution owned by PLDT.1 2
He served as the Managing Director and COO of PayMaya Philippines, where he played a crucial role in introducing e-commerce solutions, including a virtual Visa card for mobile payments. This initiative significantly impacted the largely "un-carded" population in the Philippines.1 2
Azzola has also been associated with other fintech ventures, such as MarketInvoice, a leading peer-to-peer lender in London.2

Current Role

As of recent updates, Paolo Azzola is based in Switzerland and currently works at Wave Mobile Money. He is a FinTech leader, payments and banking expert, and an investor and strategic advisor to banks, telcos, and startups. He is credited with building a FinTech unicorn in Asia.3 4

Contributions and Vision

Azzola is known for his vision on the future of FinTech, emphasizing the need for better customer service in the financial sector and the potential for digital payments to drive financial inclusion. He believes that the Philippines, with its rapid internet and smartphone penetration, is an ideal market for FinTech innovations.1 5

Advice and Philosophy

He advises aspiring FinTech entrepreneurs to identify and solve specific problems within the industry, rather than competing with existing products. This approach, he believes, is key to creating successful and innovative companies.1